Automatic chain lubricator



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1952 INVENTOR. Qw/vrnv Ci McDn/wn.

y 11, 1954 G. MCDANIEL 2,678,112

- AUTOMATIC CHAIN LUBRICATOR Filed Jan. 14, 1952 a Sheets-Sheet 2;

75 Qw/vrm GMcDA/v/a.

INVENTOR.

ZJMM ATTORNEYS.

y 11, 1954 Q. G. MCDANIEL 2,678,112

AUTOMATIC CHAIN LUBRICATOR Filed Jan. 14, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 OumrE/v 6 MCDANIEL INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 11, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CHAIN LUBRICATOR Quinten G. McDaniel, Concord, N. 0., assignor of twenty per cent to W. G. Jarrell Machine 00., Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina, twenty per cent to R. P. Bullard and thirty per cent to W. W. J arrell, twenty per cent to Mrs. Margaret J. Cruse, and ten per cent to R. K. Jarrell, all of Charlotte, N. C.

Application January 14, 1952, Serial No. 266,367

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a chain lubricator and more specifically to a novel chain lubricator for lubricating the fiat chain of a revolving fiat carding machine.

Heretorfore, it has been the practice to lubricate the fiat chain of a carding machine by hand which frequently resulted in the lubricant not being evenly distributed thus causing uneven wear on the ilat chain, and in many cases, too much lubricant; was put onto the chain so that some lubricant would spread onto the flats and onto the fibers being processed to damage the same.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a chain lubricator which can be readily and easily mounted on a carding machine to supply an even and eflicient distribution of the lubricant to the card flat chain.

It is another object of this invention to provide a lubricator for a cardin machine having a lubricating sprocket having lubrication ports therein which lubricating sprocket rides on the fiat chain and also having a driving sprocket fixedly mounted on the lubricating sprocket and having notches therein adapted to engage the ribbed portion of the card flats for rotating the driving sprockets and the lubricating sprocket. The lubricating sprocket with the lubricating ports therein has lubricant fed thereto from a reservoir at a predetermined rate.

It is another object of this invention to provide a card fiat chain lubricator comprising a housing and means for adjustably mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing containing a reservoir adapted to contain a fluid or semi-fluid lubricant, a sprocket assembly havin a hub portion rotatably mounted in said housing, said sprocket assembly having a driving sprocket adapted to mesh with said card flats and to be driven thereby and a lubricating sprocket having means there-in for lubricating said chain and means for directing lubricant from said reservoir to said lubricating sprocket.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a revolving flat carding machine showing the card flat chain lubricatcr mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is an elevation looking at the left-hand side of Figure l with some of the parts broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view 01 the lubricator taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Figure 1 and showing parts of the carding machine in elevation;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line 4--0l in Figure 3 and illustrating the manner in which the driving sprocket is driven;

Fgure 5 is a vertical sectional View of the lubricator on a reduced scale and being taken substantially along the line 55 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken sub stantially along the line 6-5 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the central left-hand portion of Figure 1 and showing the flat chain lubricator and a portion of the flat chain.

Referrin more specifically to the drawings, the numeral [0 broadly designates a conventional carding machine having a cylinder driving shaft I! rotatably mounted in a side frame l2 and having a cylinder driving pulley i3 fixedly mounted thereon which is driven in a conventional manner, not shown, by a belt ii. The side frame l2 has adjustably mounted thereon, in a conventional manner, a band 95, the purpose of which will be presently described. The side frame l2 also has a plurality of top fiat carrier stands l6, l1 and I8 adjustably mounted thereon in a conventional manner which rotatably support chain idler guide pulleys 20, 2! and 22, respectively. Also, adjustably secured on the side frame I2 is a traverse grinder stand 23.

A card flat chain broadly referred to at as com.- prises a plurality of links 25 which are pivotally interconnected by shoulder screws 28. The shoulder screws 26 pass through the fiat chain links 25 and are each threadably embedded in a rib portion 3!! of a card flat 3!. The outer ends of the card flats 3| are milled down to slidably engage and conform with the band it as the flats move along their lower reach and to engage the chain idler guide pulleys 2D, 2i and 22, as the flats move along their upper reach in a conventional manner, well known to those familiar with the art of carding fibers.

The parts heretofore described are conventional parts of a Whitin revolving flat carding machine and it is with these parts that the invention is particularly adapted to be associated al though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use with the machine illustrated and it may be used on various other chains or other carding machines, the present carding machine being shown for purposes of illustration only.

Fixedly secured to the traverse grinder stand holding bolt as at 33 is a downwardly extendin slotted support arm t l (Figure 1) in the lower end of which a horizontally disposed lubricator sup port arm 33 is adjustably secured as at 35. The support arm 35 extends to the left in Figure 1 and has a laterally extending portion to which the novel fiat chain lubricator broadly desise hated at ts is secured as by a, screw 4!. The flat chain lubricator it comprises a reservoir housing having a reservoir 13 therein whiohjis closed by a plug it at the top or intake portion thereof and the housing 42 is also provided with a cover plate it, to be presently described. The reservoir 53 adapted to contain a, suitable lubricant L which is preferably fluid or semi-fluid such as oil.

Ihe reservoir is has a communicating port or passage ll leading therefrom in which the flow of lubricant may be restricted by a metering needle valve til which is threadably mounted in the reservoir housing 52 (Figure 3). The reservoir housin =52 has a bore i extending therethrough in which the outer portion of a sleeve 52, of a lubricating sprocket assembly broadly referred to at 53, is rotatably. mounted. The sleeve 52 is prevented from moving longitudinally in said housing in one direction by the cover plate :85 which is fixedly secured to the reservoir housing 52 by a plurality of screws tit and longitudinal movement in the housing in the other direction is prevented by a retaining plate 55 (Figures 3 and 5) which is fixedly secured to the reservoir housing as by screws 58.

The lower central portion of the retaining plate 55 is provided with an arcuate notch adapted to mate with the bottom of an annular groove El which is cut in the outer periphery of th sleeve 52 of the lubricating sprocket assembly 53.

The sleeve 52 of the lubricatin sprocket assembly 53 has a pair of lubrication ports or pasing at and as the sleeve 52 of the lubricating sprocket assembly 53 rotates in the manner to be presently described, the passages 67!! and SI are alternately brought into radial alinement with the passage ll.

The bore iii in the reservoir housing $2 is provided with an enlarged annular groove 52 in which an oil seal as is mounted as by a pressed lit in order to prevent lubricant passing from the passage ll from escaping as the sleeve 52 rotates in the bore 56 of the reservoir housing t2.

lhe cover 4-5 is of irregular shape and is provided with an opening 84 therein in alinement with the needle valve 5d to provide an opening through which the needle valve 5t may be adjusted to regulate the flow of lubricant through the passage ll. Integral with the cover plate 45 is a hub portion 65 having a tapered hollow center or openin 5t therein. The outer diameter of the hub portion 65 conforms to the inner di- 7 ameter of the sleeve 52 and th sleeve 52 is rotatably mounted on the hub portion 65; The opening at in the hub 55 extends to a point in alinernent with the passageway 58 in the sleeve 52. The hub 55 has a radially extending passage- 7 way 5! therein communicating with the opening of the lubricating sprocket assembly and the passageway 4'5.

The sleeve 52 of the lubricatingysprocket as- V 4 sembly has integral with its inner end a composite gear comprising a lubricatin sprocket H1 and a driving sprocket ii. The lubricating sprocket it is provided with an annular distributing groove '52 from which a plurality of radially extending ports or passageways is extend ach of which has an enlarged portion '14 nea his outer end (Figure 6).

The enlarged portion is of each passageway it has afelt plug or wick is secured therein as by a pressed fit, the purpose of which is to prevent lubricant from escaping from the passageway it. the flat chain E i except during the time that the passageway is in alinernent with and the felt plu it is in engagement with the chain links 25 of the fiat chain 26 and the felt plug 4S also serves as a metering device to insure even distribution of said lubricant.

The driving sprocket ll is provided with a plurality of can" s or notches which re of the same curvature as the top of the rib portions til of the'card flats 3i and are so spaced apart from each other that as the flat chain as along with the card iiats 3a moves past the chain lubricator th rib portions of the card flats 3! will engage the notches Si? in the driving sprocket l! to thus impart rotation to the driving sprocket it along with the lubricating sprocket ill.

it is thus seen that at two tirnes during each revolution of the lubricating sprocket assembly 53, the lubricating passages ll and and one of the or ti will be in radial alinement to allow the lubricant in the reservoir lt to flow from the reservoir to opening in the hub 85 to the distributing groove '52 through the radially extending passages and to the felt plugs to thereby keep the felt plugs 55 saturated to the degree desired, by adjustment of the needle valve It is thus seen that as the driving sprocket 7| drives the lubricating sprocket it, the felt plugs in the lubricating sprocket it will engage the juncture of each of the links 25 of the fiat chain 22s to thus be squeezed'thereby and release the desired amount of oil or other lubricant on each of these juncture points to keep the flat chain 2 3 well oiled to thereby reduce the amount of wear on these parts and to keep the fiat chain and the card flats operating emciently.

Although the novel card flat lubricator is shown as being mounted on the traverse grinder stand as, it is to be understood that the lubricator may be mounted on one of the top flat carrier stands, the adjustable feature of th mounting. t l-36 being for this purpose. Ir desired, a novel lubricator may be mounted on each cardin machine, or a single lubricator may be moved from machine to machine periodically as desired.

Throughout the drawings and specification, the

inven on has been shown and described as bein mounted on one side of the machine, but it is evident that on of the lubricatorc would also be mounted on the other side of the machine, since each end of the card flats are secured to a chain. only change necessary in placing the apparatus on the other side of the machine would be reverse the position of the bracket :56.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are em ployed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the

scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A card flat chain lubricator for carding ma- 7 chines comprising a housing mounted on said carding machine and having a lubricant reservoir therein, a sprocket assembly rotatably mounted in said housing and comprising a driven sprocket adapted to mesh with and be driven by the card flats of said carding machine and a lubricating sprocket having a plurality of cavities circumferentially spaced in the outer periphery thereof adapted to register with portions of said card flat chain, said lubricating sprocket having an internal bore therein and a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting said cavities with said internal bore, each of said radially extending passageways being enlarged at the outer end thereof and having a wick positioned in the enlarged portion thereof, and means for directing lubricant from said reservoir to said internal bore and said passageways in said lubricating sprocket.

2. A card fiat chain lubricator for carding machines comprising a housing, means for adjustably mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing containing a lubricant reservoir and being provided with a bore therein, said housing having a first passageway connectin said reservoir with said bore, a sprocket assembly comprising a hollow sleeve portion rotatably mounted in said bore and a driven sprocket and a lubricating sprocket, said driven sprocket bein adapted to mesh with the card flats of said carding machine and be driven thereby and said lubricating sprocket having a plurality of cavities therein adapted to coincide with portions of said card flat chain, said lubricating sprockethaving an internal bore therein communicating with the interior of said hollow sleeve portion, said lubricating sprocket having a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting said cavities with said internal bore and said sleeve portion having at least one passageway therein adapted to at times register with the first-named passageway in said housing to permit lubricant from said reservoir to flow into the hollow portion of said sleeve and outwardly through the radially extending passageways in said lubricatin sprocket.

3. A card flat chain lubricator for carding machines comprising a housing, means for adjustably mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing containing a lubricant reservoir in the upper portion thereof and being provided with an axial bore therein spaced below said reservoir, said housing having a first passageway connecting said reservoir with said bore, a sprocket assembly comprising a hollow sleeve portion rotatably mounted in said bore and havin a driven sprocket and a lubricating sprocket integral therewith, said driven sprocket being adapted to mesh with the card flats of said carding machine and be driven thereby and said lubricating sprocket having a plurality of circumferentially spaced cavities in the outer periphery thereof adapted to coincide with portions of said card flat chain, said lubricating sprocket having an internal bore therein communicating with the interior of the hollow sleeve portion, said lubricating sprocket having a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting said cavities with said internal bore and said hollow sleeve portion having at least one passageway therein adapted to at times register with the first-named passagewa in said housing to permit lubricant to flow by gravity from said reservoir into the interior of said sleeve and outwardly through the radially extending passageways of said lubricating sprocket and each of said cavities in said. lu-

r machines comprising bricating sprocket having a wick therein for applying lubricant to said card flat chain.

4. A card flat chain lubricator for carding machines comprising a housing, means for adjustably mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing containing a lubricant reservoir in the upper portion thereof and being provided with a bore therein spaced below said reser-e voir, said housing having a first passageway connecting said reservoir with said bore, a needle valve in said first passageway for controlling the amount of lubricant flowing therethrough, a sprocket assembly comprising a hollow sleeve portion rotatably mounted in said bore and having a driven sprocket and a lubricating sprocket integral therewith, said driven sprocket being adapted to mesh with the card flats of said carding machine and be driven thereby and said lubricatin sprocket wheel having a plurality of semi-circular circumferentially spaced cavities therein adapted to coincide with portions of said card fiat chain, said lubricating sprocket having an annular groove therein communicating with th interior of said hollow sleeve, said lubricating sprocket having a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting said cavities with said annular groove and said sleeve portion hav ing at least one passageway therein adapted to at times register with the first-named passageway in said housing to permit lubricant to flow by gravity from said reservoir into the bore in said hub and outwardly through the radially extending passageways of said lubricating sprocket.

5. A card flat chain lubricator for carding a housing, means for mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing having a lubricant reservoir therein, said housing also being provided with a bore extendin therethrough, sprocket assembly having a hollow sleeve portion and a driven sprocket and a lubricating sprocket integral therewith, the hollow sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly being rotatably mounted in the bore in said housing to position the sprocket assembly on one side of the housing, plate secured to the other side of said housing having a hub portion projecting into the hollow interior of said sleeve portion to permit the sleeve portion to rotate on the hub portion of said plate, said hub portion of said plate having a tapered bore therein, said driven sprocket having means adapted to mesh with the card flats on said carding machine for driving said sprocket, said lubricating sprocket having an internal groove therein communicating with the tapered bore in said hub portion and a plurality of cavities adjacent the outer periphery thereof adapted to be positioned adjacent portions of the card fiat chain, said lubricating sprocket also having a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting said internal groove with said cavities, and passageways in said housing, said sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly and in said hub portion of said plate permitting lubricant to be directed from the reservoir to the radially extending passageways of said lubricating sprocket and outwardly onto the card flat chain.

6. A card flat chain lubricator for carding machines comprising a housing, means for mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing having a lubricant reservoir therein, said housing also being provided with a bore extending therethrough, sprocket assembly having a hollow sleeve portion and a driven sprocket and a: lubricating sprocket integral therewith the sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly being rotatably mounted in the bore in said housing to support the sprocket assembly on oneside of said housing, a plate secured to the other side of said housing and having a hub 'portion'projecting into the hollow interior of said sleeve portion to permit the sleeve portion to rotate thereon, said hub portion of said plate'having a tapered bore therein, said driven sprocket wheel being adapted to mesh with card flats on said carding machine for rotating saidrsprocket assembly, said lubricating sprock et having an internal groove therein communicating with the tapered bore in said hub portion and a plurality of cireumferentially spaced cavities in the outer periphery thereof adapted to be positioned adjacent portions of the card fiat chain, each of said cavities having a wick therein, said lubricating sprocket also having a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting s id internal groove with said caviti.es, and passageways in said housing, said sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly and in said hub portion or" plate permitting lubricant to be directed from the reservoir to the radially extending passageways of said lubricating sprocket and outwardly to the wicks in said. cavities to thus he applied to the card flat chains as the sprocket assembly rotates.

'7. A card flat chain luhricator for carding machines comprising a housing, rneans for mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing having a lubricant reservoir therein, said housing also being provided with a bore extending therethrough, sprocket assembly having a hollow sleeve portion and a driven s rocket and a lubricating sprocket integral therewith the sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly being rotatably mounted in the bore in said housing to support the sprocket assembly on one side of said housing, a plate secured to the other side of said housing and having a hub portion projecting into the hollow interior of said sleeve portion to permit the sleeve portion to rotate thereon, said hub portion of said plate having a tapered bore therein, said driven sprocket wheel being adapted to mesh with card flats on said carding machine for rotating said sprocket assembly, said lubrieating sprocket having an internal groove therein communicating with the tapered bore in said hub portion and a plurality of circumierentiallyspaced cavities in the outer periphery thereof adapted to be positioned adjacent portions or the card flat chain, each of said cavities having a wick therein, said lubricating sprocket also having a plurality of radially extending passageways connecting said internal groove with said cavities, said housing having a first passageway therein communicating with said reservoir and with said bore extending through the housing, said sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly having at least one second passageway therein adapted at spaced intervals of time to register with said first passageway and said hub portion having a third pas,- sageway therein in alinement with the second passageway and communicating with said tapered core to permit lubricant to flow into said radially extending passageways in said lubri-l eating sprocket for delivery onto said card fiat chain.

8. A' card fiat chain lubricator for carding machines comprising a housing, means for mounting said housing on a carding machine, said housing having a lubricant reservoir therein, said housing also being provided with a bore extending therethrough, sprocket assembly having a hollow sleeve portion and a driven sprocket and a lubricating sprocket integral therewith the sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly berotatably mounted inthe hor in said housto support the sprocket assembly on one side of said housing, a platesecured to the. other side of said housing and having a hub portion projecting into the hollow interior of said sleeve portion to permit the sleeve portion to rotate thereon, said hub portion of said plate having a tapered bore therein, said driven sprocket wheel being adapted to mesh with card on said carding machine for rotating said rocket assembly, said lubricating sprocket havan. internal groove therein communicating '1 the tapered bore in said hub portion and rality of circumierentially spaced cavities in the outer periphery thereof adapted to be positioned adjacent portions of the card fiat chain, each of said cavities having a wick therein. said lubricating sprocket also having a plurality or radially extending passageways con- "sting internal groove with said cavities, said housing having a first passageway therein communicating with said reservoir and with said bore extending through the housing, said sleeve portion of said sprocket assembly hav ing second and third passageways therein adapted at spaced intervals of time to register with said first passageway to permit lubricant to flow into said radially extending passageways in. said lubricating sprocket for delivery onto said card flat chain, and a needle valve insaid first passageway in'said housing for controllingv the amount of lubricant flowing therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 897,731 Dodge Dec. 19, 1905 1,186,434 Pierce June 6, 1916 1,933,464 7 West Oct. 31, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 418.4% Great Britain Nov. 13, 1934 

